grouch



(No Model.) 7

G. OROUQH. COMBINED TRUNK LIFT AND STRAP FASTENING.

No. 385,242. Patented June 26,, 1888.

lhviTnn STATES PATENT Trice.

GEORGE CROUCH, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

COMBINED TRUNK -LIFT AND STR'AP=FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming; part of Letters Patent No. 385,242, dated June26, 1888.

Application filed May 1?, 1888. Serial No. 274.250. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE CROUCH,Of the city, county, and State ofNewYork, have in vented an ImprovementinaCombined Trunk- Lift andStrap-Fastening, of which the following is a specification.

Heretofore the long straps employed around trunksnto assist in holdingthe lid and lower portion together have generally passed through metalor leather bridgepieces, and it often happens while the trunk is intransit from one point to another that these straps are removed from thetrunk and stolen.

The object of my invention is to prevent thefts of this kind.

My improvement consists in a combined trunk-lift and strapfastening,which is made as a bridgepieee passing over the strap, the ends of whichare securely riveted to the trunk, and through the center of which andalso through the strap there passes a rivet or bolt, by which the strapor straps of the trunk are securely held in place and cannot be removedwithont breaking the fastening or cutting and destroying the strap.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the trunk, showingthe straps and fastenings in place upon the same. Fig. 2 is anelevation, full size, of my improved lift and fastening and a portion ofthe strap. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the same. Fig. 4 isa verticalsection of the same.

The trunk in Fig. 1 is shown composed of the usual base, a, and lid Z),and has two straps, c c, passing around the same. I may, however, preferto employ but one strap placed centrally around the trunk. Thetrunk-lift and strap-fastening d is made of any desired metal, andpreferably of the shape shown in Fig. 2, the same forming, as it were, abridgepiece that passes over the strap, and there are ears or ends,1 2,which are perforated for rivets, which pass through said ears andthrough the shell of the trunk, fastening the part (7. securely to thebody of the trunk. The lift or fastening d is made at its centralportion, (1, with an overhanging edge, beneath which the fingers can beplaced in lifting the lid of the trunk to open the same for use, andsaid cen tral portion, d, is slotted across the back of a depthcorresponding to the thickness of the straps c c, and said centralportion is perfo rated for a rivet orbolt, 3, which passes through themetal and through a slot made in the strap and through the body or shellof the trunk. upon the inside of which said rivet Sis headed andprovided with the usual washer.

The straps c 0 are slotted where the rivet or bolt 3 passes throughthem, said slot being of any desired length in order to provide for thestretching and drawing-up action of the strap when the same is pulledtightly around the trunk and buckled. Any number of these lifts orfastenings (I may be provided upon the outside of the trunk over thestraps c c. I have shown in Fig. 1 four of such lifts and fastenings,the same securing the opposite ends of each of the straps c c, thisnumber being all that is deemed necessary to en1ploy,it being onlynecessary upon the back of the trunk to use simple bridge-pieces passingover the straps to prevent the straps moving from their proper position.One strap may be em ployed, passing centrally around the trunk, in whichcase only two of the fastenings (I will be used upon the strap.

It is obvious that a sorew-bolt may be employed in the place of therivet 3 said bolt passing through the lift and fastening d and throughthe slot of the strap and the body of the trunk, and having upon itsinner threaded end a nut for clamping the same securely in place.

I claim as my invention' 1. The combination, in a trunk, with the strapor straps passing around the same, of the combined trunk-lift andstrap-fastenings d, slotted for and passing over the straps and securedto the body of the trunk by rivets, and each provided with a rivet orbolt, 3, pass ing through said lift and fastening, through a slot in thestrap,and through the body or shell of the trunk to secure the strap inplace, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, in a trunk, with the strap or straps passing aroundthe same, of the combined trunk-lift and strap-iastenings d, slotted forand passing over the straps and having at their central portion anoverhanga fastening upon the inner side to secure the ing edge, d,beneath which the fingers are strap.in place, substantially asspecified. adapted to pass in lifting the trunk-lid, the Signed by methis 14th day of May, 1888. same being secured to the body of the trunkby rivets, and provided with a rivet or bolt, CROUCH 3, passing throughsaid lift and fastening, Witnesses:

through a .slot in the strap, and through the GEO. T. PINOKNEY,

body or shell of the trunk, and provided with HAROLD SERRELL.

